THE KANAB ADVENTURE - 2019 - DAY 5

October 7, 2019, Tour to Zion National Park, 93 miles.  We bid Bob goodbye this morning, he returned to Phoenix.

 Leisurely departure this morning (9 AM).  Traffic into Zion was heavy,  we encountered backups at the entrance gate and at the big tunnel, which has one way traffic at a time.    First stackup at the entrance gate, Jill took the time to do a walking video of our group.

Finally got to the gate,,,

This drive into Zion from the East is always spectacular. 

At a viewpoint, did this panorama, 

We waved at some of the park residents,,,,they were in charge of speed control!

Now, the unbelievable part, when we got down to the visitor center area, we found the park was saturated, parking lot completely full, cars parked along the road everywhere, I mean thousands of cars., Disneyland type lines for the shuttle, if you could park.  Went on to Springdale, thought about catching a shuttle from there, the shuttles had standing room only.  We were so dumbfounded, we did not even take any pictures.  Finally decided not to try for a shuttle, and just enjoy the drive back out, so we did.   No one in our group managed to catch a shuttle, apparently you have to arrive there before 7:00 to get a parking place.    So we enjoyed the drive back up the hill, sat through a couple 15 minute traffic stops, went through the tunnel and back to Kanab.  I might add, that tunnel into Zion was built in 1930 and is one mile long.  Even though it has two lanes, they only do one way traffic through it because of the arch shape and the size of today's motor homes and trailers.  

We did stop and take a little hike at one of the pull-offs.  It was a bit of a goat trail, but fun.

Pat was a little nervous,,,

Took this picture from a distance, and then realized that the headlights on the A were on.

Fortunately, we have a good battery, so it was okay.   So, even though we missed out on a shuttle ride through Zion canyon, it was a beautiful drive both ways, and we compensated for the loss with strawberry rhubarb pie ala mode at the Thunderbird restaurant on Hwy 89.

THE KANAB ADVENTURE - 2019 - DAY 4

October 6, 2019, Tour to Cedar Breaks, 150 miles.   Fall leaves, colorful vistas.  Climbed back up to 10,000 feet at Cedar Breaks.

Great views, click on any picture for a larger version.  In the next picture, you can almost see Modena, it is just behind the second row of hills, that's where we saw the BigBoy, has to be nearly a 100 miles as the crow flies.

Hoodoos,,,,

 

 

Fall leaves on the return were spectacular,,,,

 

This one is neat, fall leaves and a big lava flow,,,,

 

 

 

Here is a little video of us driving,,, check back, not working right now.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/h?preview=day4-movie.MOV

 

Had lunch at Aunt Sue's Chalet in Duck Creek,,,  for me was apple pie and a chocolate milkshake,,,,

 

 

 

 

Milestone today for the little black coupe,,,

 

 

 

 

This evening was the welcome party at the local park, Santa Clara took up a whole long table.   Good job by the caterer, fed 700+ folks in half an hour.

 

 

 

 I must mention that Bob Beaman presented Patti with a roll of toilet paper, although I think it is MAN paper. 

And the inscription is: "It's rough!  It's tough!  And it doesn't take crap off anyone!!!!!

THE KANAB ADVENTURE - 2019 - DAY 3

October 5, 2019, Caliente, NV to Kanab, UT, 187 miles.  This morning, we had it all figured out to leave Caliente at 9:00 to be in Modena, UT at 10:00 in plenty of time for the BigBoy steam locomotive arrival at 11:00.   So we were dawdling around in Caliente, until someone mentioned that Modena was in Utah on Mountain time and we were in Caliente on Pacific time.  Holy cow, it is an hour later in Modena, we need to leave NOW!!!  Everything got thrown into the cars and we highballed it for Modena.  We did arrive with time to spare, so it all worked out, but we could have missed the whole darn thing.

Hundreds and hundreds of people showed up in this tiny little semi-ghost town to see the BigBoy.  We heard the whistle long before it appeared on the horizon.  It was impressive.  Click on any picture to make it bigger.

Eight driving wheels, engine was huge.

The train was mobbed when it stopped,,,

After we made our getaway, we had lunch and headed on to Kanab on state route 14, Cedar Canyon.  This canyon is steep and winding, quite a bit of second gear overdrive.   But, the fall leaves and red cliffs were spectacular, photos are completely inadequate to show the fall splendor.

When you start seeing red cliffs, you know you are in Utah Canyonlands.

Mark had a little hitch here, we pulled off to let traffic go by and he vaporlocked briefly.  And so, we all arrived in Kanab.   Tonight there was a gathering of all the folk from our club and we got a great picture.

Dinner was barbecued ribs at the Iron Horse across the street.    With a little country music to aid the digestion,,,,,

Almost got roped into a poker game by these sharks,,,,,

Tomorrow, Cedar Breaks.....

THE KANAB ADVENTURE - 2019 - DAY 2

October 4, 2019,  Lee Vining, CA to Caliente, NV,  352 miles, 5 summits.  Covered a lot of ground today.  All the A's still perking along very nicely.   Had a nice tailwind most of the day, so we kept our speed up and got phenomenal gas mileage.  Our route today was on the Extraterrestrial Highway, but we did not see any, just cows.

Lot of road looking like this,   and watch out for the  free range cattle.

When you get tired of looking at the endless desert, you invent some other goofy thing to do.....

In the afternoon, we arrived at the Lil A Le Inn in Rachel, NV. 

And they had apple pie al a mode. Oh, Patti couldn't resist buying a roll of "alien" toilet tissue! See the roll on the table?

A little further down the road we came to the Alien Center,,,,,   with its rather  large alien.

Pat thought we needed this shirt,,,,,

We are in Caliente, NV,  and barely got back to the motel after dinner before they rolled up the streets.    Tomorrow, Kanab!!!

THE KANAB ADVENTURE - 2019 - DAY 1

October 3, 2019, Los Altos Hills to Lee Vining, CA, 250 miles.  Model A's and moderns on the road and Model A's being towed.  Model A's on the road left from the donut shop in Milpitas, and headed for Yosemite, eight A's, 4 moderns and a motorhome.

Model A's being towed left from Monterey Hwy and headed for Tehachapi, 6 A's on trailers.

The Yosemite group skirted Livermore, and took the old Altamont Pass road, and we laughed at the stop and go traffic trying to get into the Bay Area while we escaped from the Bay Area, with a tailwind, I might add.

Made really good time, and had a gourmet lunch in Big Oak Flat,,,,,

Entered Yosemite with our antique Golden Passport, which we had purchased for $10 many years ago, Barretts had to cough up $80 for a one year National Park pass,  Holy Moley!!!!!  I guess for this trip that averages out to $20 a park, better look at it that way.

We saturated the Crane Flat gas station,,,,

Where a parking lot seminar took place.

Brand new water hose gave up the ghost,,,   Can you imagine that?

 Headed for Tioga, traces of snow on the roadside.   Stopped at Olmstead viewpoint that overlooked the east end of Yosemite Valley.   That is Half-Dome in the distance, and with some powerful binoculars, we could see tiny figures making the climb to the top.

Crested Tioga an took the long long descent to Lee Vining,,,,,

Lee Vining is home to the Upside Down House, we had to go see that.  Tables, chairs, pots and pans, rug, everything upside down.   

Fueled up for tomorrow,,,,,  sticker shock!!!

At dinner, some of us had room for some really big desserts,,,,,,

The trailer group was more reserved,,,,

First day, good, the adventure continues tomorrow.......

THE KANAB ADVENTURE - 2019

We are returning to Kanab, UT after lo these many years.   Model A Ford Club of America is hosting a national tour in Kanab.   370 cars are signed up, there will be Model A's everywhere, like locusts.   22 cars are going from our club, 17 A's and 5 moderns.  10 A's are driving, 7 A's are being towed.  This blog will chronicle the adventures of the driving group.  At this point, the A is loaded down with spare parts and tools, and hope to need none of them, the little black coupe is purring like a kitten.

Pat is packing, I am staying out of the way, departure is 8:00AM Thursday from the donut shop in Milpitas.  We are going over Tioga Pass, hope this is not the year that the pass closes early for the winter, forecast right now is okay, overnight low of 15 degrees, sunny and high of 51 degrees, they have already had some snow flurries up there, but none in sight right now.      On the road again,,,,,,,